Submarine vessel.



s. LAKE. I SUBMARINE VESSEL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1907.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

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s. LAKE. SUBMARINE VESSEL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1907.

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UNITED STA TES PATENT oEEmE.

SIMON LAKE, 01? BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

SUBMABINE vEssEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Fat. 1, 1910.

To all whom it "may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residingat Bridgeport,

inthe county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Submarine Vessels, of which thefollowing is the specification.

The invention} consists of a submarine vessel,having a centralmine-planting or diving compartment, which opens to the sea ter of thevolume of the compartment is substantially at the centers of gravity andbuoyancyof the vessel. By this arrangement, the mines are dropped at apoint at which the evenkeel of the vessel is the least apt to bedisturbed. Means are provided for admitting a quantity of water into thevessel equal to the launched mine or mines, the water being conducted toballast-tanks located fore and aft of the center of gravity the minesbefore their removal.

and occupying the same relative position as Means are also provided forautomatically admitting compressed air to the compartment after thehatchways have been opened, for preventing an excess quantity of waterentering the compartment, which might occur either through the shiftingor rolling motion of the vessel or by changes of weight due to thelaunching of the mine and the sudden decrease of air pressure in thechamber by their removal.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is a sideelevation, partly in section, of the entire vessel. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection, on a larger scale, drawn longitudinally amidships,thenavigating turret and upper part of the superstructure being shown inelevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section drawn on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2. Fig. 4 shows in two sections certain details of the mechanismfor supplying compressed air to counterbalance thewater pressure. Fig. 5is a cross-section of the vessel as in Fig. 3, but on a larger scale,and showing the left-hand launching tube in section and the right-handlaunching tube in elevation, with means for operating the outboard andinboard covers, and omitting the mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4: forsupplying compressed air to counterbalance the water pressure. Fig. 6 isan elevation and partial section drawn on the line 6-6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7is a horizontal section drawn on the line 77, Fig. 5, some parts brokenaway.

I A designates the hull of the vessel, pro vided with a superstructureB, torpedo-firing tubes C, and bearing-wheels D, which last are adaptedto be projected below the bottom of the vessel to prevent its contactwith the water-bed.

E is an air-tight compartment, arranged centrally within the vessel andwhose center of volume is equally disposed relatively to the centers ofgravity and buoyancy of the vessel. The said compartment has a top E,highest in the center and connected to the sides and the hull in anysuitable manner. On each side of said compartment is a passage-way E topermit access to the fore and aft parts of the vessel. E are the endswhich also -are connected to the sides of the vessel.

The compartment E is divided bypartitions E into a central diving ormine-planting compartment E and storage compartments E for mines. Thecompartments E communicate with the diving compartment through openings6 in the partitions E, which are closed air-tight by doors 6, openinginto the diving. compartment. Hatchways having covers E E and E arearranged in the top E and communicate respectively with the storagecompartments and the diving compartment.

The diving compartment E is provided with two launching-tubes orhatchways F, surrounding openings in the bottom of the hull upon eachside of the keel, so that when the vessel is submerged they will bebelow the center of buoyancy of the vessel. The hatchways are closed byoutboard and inboard covers F and F respectively. The tubes Farearranged in diverging directions from their upper to their lower ends,so as to give the mines an impulse away from the vessel when droppedthrough the said tubes, thereby decreasing the danger of contact withthe hull of the vessel when first launched. In planting a number ofmines, the launching tubes are preferably used alternately, except whenthe presence ot a swift cross-current makes it desirable to launch fromthat side which would carry the the covers of the launching tubes.

mines quickest from the vessel. One convenient means for operating thesecovers .may be as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The

outboard covers F are mounted in fixed slide-ways F on the bottom of thehull A and made water-tight, as by packing F and near their longitudinaledges they are provided with toothed-racks which are engaged by pinionsF on shafts F arranged inside the hull. These pinions are mounted inwater-tight boxes F One end of each shaft is adapted to be provided withsome sort of operating device F such as a ratchetwrench, in order tocause the pinions to rotate and so move the covers to open and close thetubes.

As shown in Fig. 5, the inboard covers F 2 are removably or detachablyheld to the tubes by bolts F hinged to the tubes and engaging notches Fin the edges of the covers and themselves held by nuts F having handlesand which clamp the parts together. These covers F are also providedwith packing F in order to fit water-tight on the tubes.

Obviously the invention is notlimited to the described means for openingand closing The storage compartments E are designed for carrying anumber of mines besides those carried in the diving compartments. Thesemines preferably are in assembled condition, and are suspended from thetop E and also arranged on the horizontal divisional plates or floors Ein each compartment. Means, of course, are provided to prevent thedisplacement of the mines by the movement of the vessel.

.- of the In order to insure against the diving or mine-plantingcompartment E being flooded, which might occur either from the changesof weight or the decrease of air pressure due to the successivelaunching of the mines, and also by the rolling movement vessel whenoperating upon or immediately adjacent to the surface of the water, inwhich latter position, the vessel would be susceptible to the wavemotion,

' especially should there be a heavy sea, I

' pressed air is employ an automatically operated air-supplying deviceindependent of the air-supply pipe for conducting compressed air to thecompartment before the mine-planting tubes This device comprises acompressed-air supply-pipe G extending from a suitable supply-tank (notshown) and having a branch valve-controlled pipe G through which enoughcomadmitted into the compartment before the tubes are opened tocounterbalance the external water pressure. From the union of the branchpipe G extends a pipe G which has a valve G at its end normally seatedby a spring 9 (see Fig. 4) and opened by an elbow-lever G. This icalshape,

lever G is pivoted at one'end to a casting G and has a float G at itsfree end which will elevate the lever as water is admitted into thecompartment, thereby opening the valve G and admitting an additionalsupply of air to expel the water. The casting G is connected to anelbow-pipe G, which opens to the sea, and has a valve G at its inner endwhich is connected by a link G with the short arm of the lever G. Afloor G is constructed in the chamber to protect the float and lever andto provide a working platform for the operator.

Should water enter the compartment E the float would immediately riseand elevate the lever, thereby bringing it into contact with the stem ofthe valve G and opening said valve and admitting an additional supply ofcompressed air. Simultaneously with this operation, the lever opens thevalve G to effect the expulsion of the water by the superior pressure ofthe compressedair, thereby preventing the greater the quantity of watershipped, the wider the valves will be opened to regulate the quantity ofair admitted to meet the conditions.

lVithin the diving or mine-planting compartment E and to one sidethereof, is arranged a compensating-tank H, connected to the seatthrough a valve-controlled pipe H, and at each end the compensating-tankis connected by valve-controlled pipes H H 9 with the first of a seriesof ballast-tanks H and H respectively arranged or formed in the bottomsof the storage compartments. By this means a quantity of water may bedischarged into the tanks of either series to compensate for the weightof the mine or mines removed from either compartment, and thereby it ispossible to hold the vessel on an even keel. A gage H is connected toflooding of the com- I partment; and it will also be seen that the thecompensatin tank by which the quan tity of water discharged into theballasttanks may be ascertained and regulated.

The mines used are preferably of spherand of the electro-chemical contact type, and of the size and type known in the United States as Navaldefense mines, but, of course, any pattern other than that specified maybe used equally well.

Ordinarily a number of mines are carried in the diving compartment inaddition to those carried in the storage compartments, and when it isdesired to planta number not exceeding the number carried in the saiddiving compartment, the operator enters said compartment through thehatchway E and the hatchway as well as the doors leading into thestorage compartments are then securely fastened, and enoughcompressedair is admitted to counterbalance the external water pressure,after which one or both of the launching-tubes are opened and the minesdropped or launched. Should, however, it be desired to plant a greaternumber of mines than that carried in the diving compartment, the doors eand. e are left open and enough air is admitted to permit all threecompartments to be put under air pressure at the same time.

y In practice, I propose to construct the ballast-tanks and to employ asystem of emptying them substantially as shown and described in LettersPatent granted to me October 31, 1905, No. 803,175, and, therefore, donot consider it essential to show the detailsof construction embodied inthe said patent, and only show the communications between the tanks andthe outlet pipes m, m.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I combine the features of amine-planting boat and a submarine torpedo boat; and while I have shownthe invention embodied in a submarine torpedo boat, I desire it to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to use in such boats, butmay be equally well used in other forms of submarine vessels.

What I claim, is

1. In a submarine vessel, a hull, andlan air-tight compartment arrangedcentrally therein and having partitions to divide it into storagecompartments and an intermediate diving or mine-planting compartment,the center of volume of which is arranged in vertical alinement with thecenter of gravity .and center of buoyancy of the vessel, a

launching tube arranged and opening within said diving or mine-plantmgcompartment,

and means to supply compressed air to said diving or mine-plantmgcompartment to eX- clude the water therefrom during the time said tubeis open. h

2. In a submarine vessel, the combination with the hull, of a centralair-tight compartment partitioned off into storage compartments and anintermediate diving compartment the center of volume of which isarranged in vertical alinement with the center of gravity and center ofbuoyancy of the vessel, launching-tubes in the said diving compartment,means for supplying air under pressure separately to said divingcompartment when the launching-tubes are in use, and

means for automatically operating said airsupplying means renderedoperative in the event of water entering said compartment.

3. In a submarine vessel, the combination with the hull, of an air-tightcompartment centrally arranged in the hull and partitioned oftintostorage compartments and an intermediate diving compartment thecenter of volume of which is arranged in vertical alinement with thecenter of gravity and center of buoyancy of the vessel, means to permitcommunication between the storage compartments and the divingcompartment,

means for supplying air under pressure to, the several compartments, andautomatically open.

operating means for independently supplying air to the divingcompartment.

' 4. A submarine vessel, constructed with a central air'tightcompartment, and having launching-openings in the hull communicatingtherewith, covers for the openings, and automatically operated means foradmitting air under pressure to the compartment rendered active by wateradmitted when the covers of the openings are removed.

5. A submarine vessel, constructed with an air-tight compartment thecenter of volume of which is arranged in vertical alinement with thecenter of gravity and center of buoyancy of the vessel, partitionsarranged in the compartment dividing the same into a central divingcompartment and storage compartments, doors in said parti tions,launching-tubes arranged in the central compartment, means for admittingair under pressure to the central compartment, and independent means forsupplying an additional quantity of air operating by water admitted whenthe launching-tubes are A submarine vessel, constructed with anair-tight compartment the center of volume of which is arranged invertical alinement with the center of gravity and center of buoyancy ofthe vessel, launching-tubes in the compartment which open outwardlythrough the hull upon each side of the keel, and are arranged indiverging directions, covers for the tubes, meansfor supplying air underpressure to the compartment, and independent means automaticallyoperated by rise of water in the compartment to admit additionalquantities of air when the covers of the tubes are removed.

7. A submarine vessel, constructed with an air-tight compartment thecenter of volume of which is arranged in vertical alinement with thecenter of gravity and center of buoyancy of the vessel, partitions inthe compartment dividing it into a central diving or mine-plantingcompartment and storage compartments, ballast-tanks arranged in thebottoms of the storage compartments, means for supplying water to thetanks, and means for supplying air under pressure to the said centralcompartment.

8. A submarine vessel, constructed with an air-tight diving ormine-planting compartmentthe center of volume of which is arranged invertical alinement wit-h the center of gravity and center of buoyancy ofthe vessel, launching-tubes in the compartment and means for closing thesame, ballast-tanks arranged fore and aft of the center of the saidcompartment, means for supplying water to the tanks, for the purposespecified, and means for supplying air under pressure to the saidcompartment.

9. A submarine vessel, constructed with a diving or mine-plantingcompartment the center of volume of which is arranged in verticalalinement with the center of gravity and center of buoyancy of thevessel, launching-tubes in the compartment arranged upon each side ofthe keel, means to close the tubes, means for supplying air underpressure to the compartment, ballast-tanks arranged in the vessel, andmeans 'for supplying water to the tanks.

10. A submarine vessel, constructed with a central air-tightcompartment, launchingtubes arranged in the compartment, a pipe forsupplying air under pressure to the compartment, a vah e for controllingthe admission of air, a second valve arranged in the pipe, an outletpipe arranged in the bottom of the compartment and opening into thesurrounding water, a valve in the outlet pipe, a lever connected to theValve in the outlet pipe and also adapted for engagement with the valvein the air inlet pipe, and a float connected to the lever to open thevalves when water enters the compartment.

11. A submarine vessel, constructed with an air-tight compartment thecenter of volume of which is arranged in vertical alinement with thecenter of gravity and center of buoyancy of the Vessel, launching-tubesin the compartment, outboard and inboard closures for the tubes, acompressed-air supply-pipe extending into the compartment, a valve insaid pipe, a lever for engagement with the valve stem and having a floatat one end, an outlet pipe in the bottom of the compartment, a valve inthe outlet pipe connected to the opposite end of the said lever,ballast-tanks arranged in the vessel, and means for conducting water tothe tanks.

12. -A submarine vessel, constructed with a central air-tightcompartment, launchingtubes arranged in the compartment, closures forthe tubes, an air inlet pipe extending into the compartment and having avalve at its inner end, a lever pivotally held in the compartment inposition for engagement with the stem of the valve, a float carried atone end of the lever, an outlet pipe arranged in the bottom of thecompartment, and a valve in the said pipe connected to thelever.

13. A submarine vessel, constructed with an air-tight compartment thecenter of volume of which is arranged in vertical alinement with thecenter of gravity and center of buoyancy of the vessel, launching-tubesin the compartment, ballast-tanks arranged in the "essel, means forsupplying water from the surrounding body of water to the tanks, andmeans for supplyingjair under pressure to the said compartment.

14. A submarine vessel, constructed with a diving or mme-plantingcompartment the center of volume of which is arranged in.

vertical alinement with the center of gravity and center of buoyancy ofthe vessel, and havin storage compartments in the fore and ai endsthereof, ballast-tanks arranged in the storage compartments, means foradmitting water to the tanks, and means for supplying air under pressureto the said mine-planting compartment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of May A.D. 1907.

SIMON LAKE.

, itnesses:

FREDERIC W. BAKER, FRED B. WHITNEY.

